Engineering the Future of Sustainable Construction: Self-Healing and Bio-Based Material Technologies
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 31
Special Issue Editors
Interests: applied microbiology; construction biotechnology; technological microbiology; biomineralization; predictive microbiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: materials science; construction biotechnology; sustainable concrete repair mortars; natural pozzolanic materials; industrial by-products; agriculture waste; biomineralization
Interests: activity index; cement; pozzolanic reaction; thermal analysis; Mortar; Concrete; green materials in construction; construction materials; building materials; sustainable mortar and concrete; construction biotechnology; energy efficiency in civil engineering; assesment of building structures; biomineralization
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The construction industry is entering a transformative era driven by the urgent need for sustainability, climate resilience, and circularity. Traditional cementitious materials are responsible for significant carbon emissions and environmental degradation. To address this, scientists and engineers are exploring innovative materials and biologically inspired technologies that extend durability, reduce repair needs, and promote self-sufficiency in infrastructure.
This Special Issue aims to spotlight the latest advances in self-healing cement-based materials and bio-based construction technologies, particularly those integrating microbial systems, biomineralization, and bio-cementation techniques. By bringing together researchers from civil engineering, microbiology, materials science, and sustainability disciplines, this Issue will promote interdisciplinary innovations that will shape the next generation of green infrastructure.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Mechanisms and materials for self-healing cement composites;
- Bacterial technologies for cement and concrete healing and reinforcement;
- Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP);
- Bio-cement and alternative cementitious binders;
- Smart materials for durability, crack resistance, and life-extension;
- Circular economy approaches and recycled inputs in cement systems;
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental impact of bio-cement;
- Nano- and micro-encapsulation strategies in self-healing systems;
- Integration of biotechnology in civil engineering applications;
- Regulatory, economic, and societal dimensions of bio-based materials.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Olja Šovljanski
Dr. Tiana Milović
Dr. Vesna Bulatović
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- sustainable construction materials
- self-healing concrete
- bio-based building technologies
- microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP)
- bacterial-based self-healing effect
- green building materials
- smart materials for infrastructure
- low-carbon construction
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